This invention relates to roll forming machines which form an indeterminate length panel of a desired lateral profile from a supply strip of sheet metal and, more particularly, to such a machine which has the capability whereby an operator can quickly change the profile along an edge of the panel.
Roll forming machines are well known in the home building and remodeling industry. Such a machine is typically mounted on the bed of a pick-up truck, van, trailer, or the like, so that it can be transported to, and used at, the site where siding panels, roofing panels and rain gutters are to be installed. Typically, such a machine comprises a series of spaced forming stations each having upper and lower shaping rollers between which a sheet metal strip is passed so as to impart a desired shape to the sheet metal strip which is uniform along the length of the sheet metal strip after it exits the machine. Different combinations of rollers provide different lateral profiles to the strip. Conventionally, each machine is designed to provide a single predetermined lateral profile to the sheet metal strip. In order to change the profile, the forming stations have to be removed and replaced with other forming stations. Until now, this has been a time consuming task which may have had to be done away from the site at which the machine is to be used. In the case of roofing panels, for example, sometimes the roofing panels have to be formed with a first profile along an edge which is used when nailing the roofing panels to the underlying roof structure and be formed with a different profile along that edge when mounting clips are used to secure the roofing panel to the underlying roof structure. Often, the same underlying roof structure needs roofing panels of both types at different locations on the underlying roof structure. It would therefore be desirable to provide a roll forming machine wherein the profile along the edge can be quickly changed by the operator on-site.
According to the present invention, there is provided an arrangement for selectively changing the profile along an edge of a panel formed by a roll forming machine of the type which forms an indeterminate length panel of a desired lateral profile from a uniform width supply strip of sheet metal having a pair of parallel straight edges, with the roll forming machine defining a predetermined path of travel for the supply strip. The inventive arrangement comprises a mounting plate member mounted to a side of the machine, and a module including first and second roll forming stations adapted for mounting to the mounting plate member with a selected one of the first and second roll forming stations along the predetermined path of travel.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the first and second roll forming stations are located on the module so that when the module is mounted to the mounting plate member with a selected one of the first and second roll forming stations along the predetermined path of travel, the other of the first and second roll forming stations is vertically displaced from the predetermined path of travel.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the mounting plate member is formed with a pair of spaced parallel slots elongated in the vertical direction and the module includes a back plate formed with two parallel rows of threaded mounting holes, the two rows being registrable with the pair of slots when the back plate abuts the mounting plate member. The inventive arrangement further includes a plurality of mounting bolts extendable through the slots into threaded engagement with selected ones of the mounting holes to secure the module to the mounting plate member at a selected one of two vertical positions so that a desired one of the roll forming stations is along the predetermined path of travel.
In accordance with a further aspect of this invention, the mounting plate member is formed with a first locating through-hole and the back plate is formed with a pair of second locating holes spaced along a line parallel to the two rows of mounting holes. Each of the pair of second locating holes is selectively registrable with the first locating through-hole when the module is at a respective one of the two vertical positions. The inventive arrangement further includes a locating pin insertable through the first locating through-hole and into a selected one of the pair of second locating holes.